This year's FLL Project is "Animal Allies" and Team 7407 C.A.K.E. B.A.T.T.E.R.S. picked the Zebra as their animal as this is a favorite animal of one of the team members. As we consulted our resident expert we found that the zebra population is shrinking in Africa. Further investigation we found out that the Africa Ranchers livestock and the zebra are wanting to inhabit the same land and unfortunately the zebra is loosing the battle. So our quest was to find a use for the zebra. Our research came across several articles on David Mullin a biology professor at the Tulane University which is near the New Orleans’ Audubon Zoo. We were excited to learn that if you took the zebra manure you could do something good with it. It was sad to see that there was not any other data on the subject since 2012 which would be a way to save the zebra.

We understand that if you could collect the zebra manure you could in a simple fashion create a biofuel call "Butanol". The process that was explained in the various articles is as follows:

1. Take recyclable products such as newspaper and make it into a pulp

2. Take the zebra manure and mix it in with the pulp

3. Allow the special microbes that live in the zebra manure go to work breaking down the cellulose in the newspaper into the butanol

Now you have a fuel called "Butanol", it contains four carbon atoms, which has twice the kick of ethanol and only slightly less energy-potential than gasoline. This fuel can be used straight up (i.e. you do not have to mix it with anything else.) This particular outcome could be a lifesaver for the zebra and an incentive for the Africa Ranchers to share the land with the zebra instead of running them off or killing them. The great thing for the ranchers is that they can make the fuel themselves.

Our team is working on spreading the word again to help our favorite animal the "Zebra." We would love to share more with others, please contact us by emailing brevardgirlscoutsrobotics@gmail.com.

We would like to thank David Mullin for the information we found that could save the zebra!